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Kids Obsessed With Tech? Now Use Apps to Teach Mythology, Geography and More

Talk to any young parent these days, and chances are they’ll launch into a litany of complaints about technology and their losing battle with it. 'If the kids aren't already using a tablet or phone, they spend all their time asking for it,' is a common grievance. But what if you could use your children's obsession with technology to introduce them to Indian mythology, help discover new cities or learn about the world around them? Bulbul Apps helps you do just that.

Kids Obsessed With Tech? Now Use Apps to Teach Mythology,  Geography and More

This article on using mobile technology for social good is part of the #Connecting4Good series & is made possible by Vodafone India.

Talk to any young parent these days, and chances are they’ll launch into a litany of complaints about technology and their losing battle with it. ‘If the kids aren’t already using a tablet or phone, they spend all their time asking for it,’ is a common grievance. But what if you could use your children’s obsession with technology to introduce them to Indian mythology, help discover new cities or learn about the world around them? Bulbul Apps helps you do just that.

What do a writer from Mumbai, an illustrator from Mexico and a music studio from Israel have in common? The ability to come together to create a beautifully illustrated, interactive story series like the Krishna series! Produced by Bulbul Apps, the Krishna Series is a wonderful introduction for children into the world of Indian mythology. The series witnesses the coming together of incredible international talent in the telling of a story that is quintessentially Indian.”It is a powerful metaphor for what we are trying to do, a reiteration of our belief that stories and the emotions they generate are universal,” says Prakash Dantuluri, founder of Bulbul Apps.

Children are not only introduced to Krishna but are taken along on his many adventures –be they announcing his divinity to his mother by revealing the cosmos in his mouth, or teaching Indra a lesson in humility, or taking on the mighty Kaliya.

The illustrations are striking and the script is engaging – a sure-fire way to get your children hooked on Indian mythology.

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And then there is the Tuk-tuk app. Referring to this as a “travel app for kids,” Mr Prakash reveals that the series – like most of the Bulbul Apps series – was the result of a cross-border collaboration. A professor from Bangalore wrote the script, while an artist from New Delhi provided the illustrations that were set to music by a team from Britain and animated by talent from Hyderabad.

The series – which follows Tuk-Tuk, an enthusiastic, eager-to-learn auto on his journey through different cities – met with resounding success. Kids can follow Tuk-tuk as he explores Mumbai, comes face-to-face with BEST buses, makes friends with one of the ‘bumble bee’ taxis synonymous with Mumbai, and sets off to explore the sights.

The second installment in the Tuk-tuk series, Tuk-tuk Goes to Hyderabad, was recently in the news when crowd-funders helped the organisation reach their funding goal in record time. In this series, Tuk-tuk takes the children sightseeing in Hyderabad, while exploring the local cuisine and befriending local taxis!

In future series, children can explore cities like New York, Paris, London, Dubai, and Hong Kong with Tuk-tuk!

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Bulbul Apps has now entered the information and education domain with the series What is it? This series explores the world around us with the simple question ‘What is it?’ In answering the question, children are provided with in-depth information – presented in a fun and engaging manner. Whether they are house sparrows, elephants or tigers, you can be sure that with this app, your children will know all there is it to know about them!

With apps like these, will parents be okay with their children being glued to technology? “To be honest, its not like I have a choice,” laughs Chandramouli Vijjhala, parent of 4 year old Abhinav, a loyal fan of Bulbul Apps, “But these apps really do help him learn.”

What about these apps does he, as a parent, approve of? “For one thing, I believe that storytelling is very important. It is important that we tell our kids stories, and this app does that. Secondly, the pictures and the colours are bright and attractive. Anything to do with pictures enhances their ability to learn. And the same is true of things they can connect and relate to. Like my kid’s favourite app right now is ‘Tuk-tuk goes to Hyderabad’ because he likes travel and he likes vehicles, so this was like a culmination of his favorite things!”

With more than half a million downloads, it is clear that Mr Chandramouli is not the only parent who approves of the app. It also comes as no surprise to learn that most of their apps have an average rating of 4 and above. Bulbul Apps have certainly made an indelible mark for themselves in an industry where trends change by the minute and the fear of becoming irrelevant is constant.

Their differentiator? “Local content with global quality,” says Mr Prakash, without missing a heartbeat. The company’s insistence on quality shows in each and every beautifully illustrated scene and wonderfully strung together script.

Featured image for representation only. Source: Firstpost

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